The neatness of our referring to societies as units of encryption ignores the many real situations when boundaries and memberships may not be clear or recognized. Members may participate in several societies. The American society has been based on a set of common agreements, including the definition of who is a member. The American defining ideas are recently subject to revision and rejection. Some recent movies and shows have concerned American media stars and their subcultural origins. They are not merely travelogues. They are also ways of repairing the social identities of groups that are now sometimes regarded by Americans as dangerous aliens with suspect motivations. Media stars return to their origins to praise subcultural values.